Everyone has skeletons in their closets
by XxStephXx
Summary: Post 4.11 Everyone has a secret. What if Derek wasn't the only one with a secret spouse? MerDer
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was the morning after Derek and Meredith broke up, she had managed to avoid him all day. She had to face him now though, she had a patient that needed a Neuro consult. She was dreading having to talk to him. When most people ran into their ex boyfriends they tried to look their best, make them see what they were missing. Not Meredith though. She hadn't slept all night, she was hung over and she had been working since 5am. She looked like crap.

"Wouldn't want to meet you in a dark alley?" remarked Alex.

"Right back atcha," said Meredith.

"Grey you look like crap," he said bluntly.

"Really? I wasn't aware of that," said Meredith. "I have to go and find Derek, my patient needs a consult."

"Looking like that?"

"Alex you're really not helping," sighed Meredith.

"Sorry," said Alex knowing that he had taken the teasing too far. "You don't look so bad."

"Liar," she said smiling faintly.

"I can take this patient off your hands if you want to avoid McDreamy."

"Are you kidding? It's going to be an amazing surgery," said Meredith wishing she wasn't tempted to take him up on his offer.

"That's the attitude," said Alex. "Looking like crap or not you're hotter than most. I still do you."

"Thank you that's really touching," said Meredith.

"Anytime," said Alex. "Now run along and find McDreamy and get that surgery. If he gives you any trouble…send him to me."

"See you Alex."

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"Have you seen the new resident?" asked Izzie as she caught up with Meredith in the hallway.

"New resident?"

"Yeah apparently he's like a big deal…so hot!"

"Great," muttered Meredith.

"Dr. McCreamy That's his McName…Cristina's idea obviously."

"Cristina needs to get laid," said Meredith barely bothering to sound interested.

"You're right…McCreamy is a little crude even by her standards," said Izzie pretending she didn't notice how down Meredith was. "But you should see this guy."

"I have work to do," said Meredith.

"Oh there he is…" said Izzie pointing to where the new resident, Derek and Mark were standing.

"Crap," whispered Meredith.

"What?"

"I'm going to kill him," muttered Meredith feeling irrationally angry.

Derek looked down the hall and spotted Meredith. He sighed knowing they were going to have to work together sooner or later, he just wished it could wait until he wasn't feeling so raw about the whole break up. Then she started to storm down the hallway towards him, he started to panic. Maybe she had found out about his dinner date with Rose the night before?

"What the hell…" she started angrily.

"Mer…" Derek started, but he trailed off when he realised she wasn't glaring at him.

"Meredith hi," said Dr. Houston. "You're looking as beautiful as always."

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"What? I can't visit my ex wife?"

"Wife? Did he just say wife?" exclaimed Izzie. "Meredith?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

"Get in here," said Meredith pushing Dr. Houston into a nearby exam room.

"Owwww stop manhandling me," he protested.

"Wife? He did say wife?" repeated Izzie. "Meredith? Wife? McCreamy did just say that, right?"

"Yes Dr. Stevens, he did," said Derek.

"Oh okay…"

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Meredith had been in the exam room with Dr. Houston for almost twenty minutes, before she emerged. Almost half the surgical staff had casually gathered outside the room, word had spread pretty quickly about Meredith and her ex husband. So the small hallway was crowded with interns, residents, Attendings and nurses casually pretending that they weren't waiting to see what happened next.

"Damn it," muttered Meredith as she pulled the door open. She ran into the hallway pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she did. She had been paged. "Can you please page Dr. Shepherd?" she asked a nurse, deciding it was best not to acknowledge all the people that were looking at her. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair had obviously been pulled out of it's previously tidy ponytail.

"I'm here," said Derek looking up from the chart he was 'reading'.

"Patient in 2214, I got a page he's having seizures," said Meredith taken a back that he was still there.

"Alright come on," he said taking off down the hall.

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"You better spill right now or I will hurt you," said Cristina bluntly. Meredith had been working with Derek all afternoon, and neither of them had mentioned Dr. Houston.

"Nothing to spill," said Meredith.

"Do you think I won't kick your ass?" said Cristina. "You married McCreamy?"

"Okay I have to ask, why McCreamy?"

"He looks good enough to eat," said Cristina. "Not that I have to tell you that."

"Look it's not a big deal," said Meredith keeping her voice down so that Derek couldn't hear. "We got married and we got divorced after six months, that's it."

"That's it?"

"Yes," sighed Meredith.

"You're lying."

"He…he was my mothers prodigy," snapped Meredith. "She…took him under her wing I guess…I had just started Med school and he was hot…we sort of booty called our way through my first three years at Med school and his residency…"

"Three years?"

"You were with Marlow for two years and you never told me."

"I didn't marry him."

"Anyway we just…got married. My mother flipped out…it was around the time she started to get ill…anyway long story short the divorce was finalized the day before I graduated Med school…it was friendly," rambled Meredith.

"I'd say it was more than friendly," said Cristina. "What did you two do in that room?"

"Nothing," said Meredith a little too quickly. "It's just…he just…we can't really be in confined spaces together, someone always ends up naked."

"Is he any good? He looks like he would be good."

"Cristina!"

"What?"

"I have to go," said Meredith. "Dr. Shepherd wants these results."

"Dr. Shepherd?"

"Yes Dr. Shepherd," said Meredith.

"No more McDreamy?" said Cristina. "Or is this temporary…again?"

"No more McDreamy," said Meredith. "As far as I'm concerned McDreamy is dead."

"Do you have those results Dr. Grey?" asked Derek who had been standing behind her. His voice was like thunder. He was dead to Meredith now. She didn't tell him she had been married and now one day after their break up he was dead to her. That spoke volumes as to how much he had really meant to her.

"Yes here they are," said Meredith calmly.

"Thank you," said Derek snatching them from her hand. "Your husband was looking for you."

"Okay," said Meredith. She knew it would probably be a good idea to tell Derek that Dr. Houston was her ex husband, but he made out with nurses, she didn't owe him a damn thing.

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"So is your patient still alive?"

"You're still here?" said Meredith spinning round to face James Houston, her ex husband and former love of her life. She had just finished her shift and was in the locker room.

James was leaning against the lockers opposite Meredith's, he was wearing casual jeans and a t shirt that showed off his perfectly defined six pack, he was toned but not overly toned. (In my head I'm picturing Rob Lowe as James if that helps anyone to picture him better).

"Yeah I'm sticking around for a while," he said.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Why would you want to stay here in Seattle? You pretty much have your pick of hospitals to work in," said Meredith.

"I want to work here," he said.

"Why?"

"I've missed you," he said when she didn't respond, he continued. "I heard about your mother, I'm sorry."

"I knew it was coming."

"I would have been here but…I didn't find out until a few weeks ago."

"It's fine, there wasn't a funeral or anything," said Meredith.

"How have you been?"

"Fine."

"You seem different," he said. "You look sad."

"I'm just tired," said Meredith.

"So are we going to talk about this morning?" said James standing behind Meredith leaning over her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" she asked, a little smile tugging at her lips.

"Still living in your cozy little blanket then?"

"Pardon."

"Your cozy blanket of avoidance."

"Yes," said Meredith.

"Well that's alright, I find it charming," he said kissing her earlobe. "Did I mention how great you look today?"

"I think you did," said Meredith.

"Well you do," he said planting kisses on her neck. "You look so hot in your scrubs…remember when you used to sleep in mine, they were too big for you and I would…"

"Am I interrupting something?" said Derek sharply. The chief had sent him to find James and Meredith, unfortunately he had walked in and found them all but making out in the locker room.

"No! No, of course not," said Meredith pushing James off her.

"The Chief wants to see both you now," said Derek storming from the room fuming. It wasn't enough that Meredith had lied to him about being married, she had to make out with her husband right in front of his face the day after they broke up.

"Why does the chief want to see us both?" asked James. "Do you have rules about getting…intimate in exam rooms and locker rooms?"

"Shut up!" Meredith snapped. "We didn't have sex."

"I didn't say we did."

"Well you almost implied it."

"Almost implied it? I almost implied it?" James mocked as he followed Meredith out of the locker room. "I still don't get you."

"And you never will."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Derek, Mark and Erica were standing together outside the Chief's office, they had been called to a meeting. Derek was the first one to spot Meredith and James coming towards them. Meredith was storming ahead of James, who was following her smiling in amusement.

"Shut up!" snapped Meredith as they stood outside the Chief's office with Derek and the others. "I'm not talking to you anymore, stand over there!"

"Yes dear," said James mockingly.

"So Grey? A secret husband? What a scandal your life is!" said Mark looking sideways at Derek. Although he would never admit it Mark knew that Derek was dying to know what the hell was going on.

"He's not my husband," said Meredith bluntly.

"I was," James protested.

"He's my ex husband," said Meredith glaring at James.

"I was still your husband."

"You've been my ex husband longer than you were ever my husband."

"Ahh it was amicable then?" said Mark looking between them both.

"Yes," they said simultaneously.

"Alright," said Mark holding his hands up in defeat. "Just curious."

"Well you can pass it along to the rest of the staff, I'm not married and I haven't been married for two years," said Meredith more to Derek that anyone else. "I was divorced when I started my internship." Derek just looked straight ahead not acknowledging that anyone had said anything.

"And who's fault it that?" said James.

"Yours," snapped Meredith.

"Why so angry dear?"

"You annoy me, you arrogant ass!"

"Arrogant? I thought that was one of the things you loved about me," said James. "You don't like men that aren't even a little arrogant."

"Shut up, you don't know me."

"Oh contraire love, I know you better than anyone else ever could."

"You think?"

"Well I know you've slept with someone here besides me, you look like you'd rather be eaten to death than stand here right now," said James looking at her questionably. "And judging by Shepherd's face I'm going to say it was him. Another Tequila sunrise?"

"Shut up you don't know anything," mumbled Meredith.

"Not another Tequila sunrise?" said James watching Meredith closely. He saw the pain in her face and knew she had been hurt badly. "What the hell did he do to you?"

"Nothing!"

"Yeah it sure looks like nothing," said James his eyes blazing at Derek. "Shepherd?"

"It's none of your business what I do or what I've done. So don't go cave man and think you have to defend me, it's childish and frankly insulting," said Meredith pushing James pushing James away from Derek. "Why don't we talk about your love life in the past two years? How is Mindy, Mandy, Sandy and Tiffany?

"Meredith," said James seriously. "I don't sleep with nurses far too cliché even for me. I prefer a challenge."

"You won't get one here."

"I think I've found one."

"Dr. Webber is ready for you now," said his secretary.

"All of us?" said Derek, wondering what the chief needed to see the heads of department, a first year resident and a visiting surgeon for.

"Yes all of you," said the chief's secretary.

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"As you may or may not have heard the hospital has received a very generous donation to be spent on the surgical wing," said the chief once everyone was seated. "I called you here to discuss how to spend this donation."

"How much?" asked Mark.

"2.3 million dollars," said the Chief.

"I don't understand what Dr. Grey and Dr. Houston are doing here," said Derek who was aware of James glaring at him.

"I thought it was appropriate that Dr. Grey has a say in what happens to the donation," said the Chief.

"Why?" asked Derek.

"Because I signed the check," said Meredith.

"Two point three million dollars? Where the hell did you find that kind of change?" asked Mark.

"It took a while to wrap up my mother's estate," said Meredith flatly. "And I don't care how you spend the money. Just do something useful with it."

"You just gave all Satan's cash away?" said James.

"Yes what do I need two point three million dollars for?" said Meredith. "You really shouldn't speak ill of the dead you know."

"Are you sure she's really dead?" James whispered loudly.

"Dr. Houston need I remind you that Ellis Grey was a very well respected surgeon who sadly passed away recently and you are talking to her daughter," said Richard sharply.

"She was an amazing surgeon," said James. "I worked under her for years I know. But the woman was Satan…just thinking about her makes my balls jump back up into my body," shuddered James. "Scary, scary woman."

"Dr. Houston!" roared Richard.

"Hey she was my mother in law and my boss! She made a dragon look friendly," James continued.

Richard looked like he was about to explode. The whole room was silent, everyone waiting for Richard and Meredith's reaction. Then Meredith couldn't hold it in any longer, she allowed a giggle to escape, before she knew what was happening she was openly laughing.

"Well that's the first time I've seen you laugh since I got here," said James smiling over at her.

"You're such a moron," laughed Meredith. "You did that on purpose."

"Dr. Houston I think you need to leave NOW!" said Richard shaking with rage.

"I think you're right," smirked James.

"I should go too," said Meredith. "Spend the money however it needs to be spent, it's nothing to do with me anymore."

"Come on then," said James taking Meredith's hand and pulling her out of the room.

"That was so not funny," she laughed as she allowed James to pull her out of the chief's office.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"You know the Chief hates you now?

"I know but it was worth it to see you laugh again," said James. "I just taking a wild guess but someone has damaged you haven't they? More than Satan did I mean?"

"It's been a tough year."

"You're a survivor," said James curling his finger under her chin. "And now you have me…again."

"I'm not sleeping with you."

"I'm not asking you to," said James. "Well…I wouldn't say no but I'm here as your friend and your booty call should you need me."

"Thanks."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Oh you are alive! That's nice," exclaimed Izzie.

Meredith hadn't been home all weekend even though she had had two days off work. It was Monday morning and Izzie was standing with Alex waiting for an elevator. Derek and Rose were also waiting for an elevator. Derek looked up when he heard Izzie raise her voice and spotted Meredith bustling into the hospital, looking a little flustered.

"I'm alive," said Meredith pulling her ringing cell phone out of her bag. Instead of answering it Meredith threw it in nearby trash can and dumped her coffee on it.

"Bad weekend?" asked Izzie.

"No," said Meredith. "It's just that phone…it's does bad things."

"Oh the phone does bad things or the phone made you do a bad thing," said Izzie.

"Did you do a bad thing?" asked Alex. "Naughty weekend?"

"Shut up both of you," hissed Meredith. "I didn't do a bad thing."

"Did you do a bad thing that was really, really good?" asked Izzie.

"I'm not talking about it," Meredith insisted.

"Dr. Steven, Dr. Karev beautiful morning isn't it?" said James cheerfully. "Oh how lovely to see you too Dr. Grey."

"Jackass," Meredith muttered. He was supposed to wait until she was on the elevator before he came into the hospital.

"Good morning to you too sweetheart," he chuckled.

"You are apologizing to the Chief this morning," said Meredith as they all piled onto the elevator.

"Am I?"

"Yes I told you last night you have to…what you said wasn't nice…"

"Shouldn't I apologise to you then, she was your mother?"

"No," said Meredith shortly.

"Last night?" said Izzie.

"Oops," said Meredith guiltily.

"Oops honey," mocked James. "You could have just told them you were…helping me with…my crossword puzzle."

"I hate you," said Meredith.

"No you don't, you love me."

"Wanna bet?"

"Dude you are fighting like a little old couple," sniggered Alex.

"We are not!" Meredith protested.

"You so are," said Izzie rolling her eyes.

"I mean it James, apologise to the Chief this morning," said Meredith stepping off the elevator.

"Fine, geez bossy much."

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"I apologised," James announced.

"Miracles can happen then," Meredith retorted.

"Hmmmm lets find out shall we?"

"What are you talking about?"

"What did Shepherd do to you?"

"Nothing."

"Sure he didn't. I can always just ask him, you know?"

"Go ahead."

"Or beat it out of him?" said James.

"Like I said, go ahead," said Meredith.

"Did he cheat on you with that nurse, Rosie is it?" asked James, he had heard some gossip and put two and two together.

"Rose," snapped Meredith. "And no…not exactly."

"Well if you ask me it looks like she's had a snout adjustment," said James studying Meredith carefully.

"There is nothing wrong with her 'snout'," sighed Meredith.

"Still not a patch on you," said James. "I mean you're like a rubber band…very flexible."

"Shut up," Meredith hissed looking round to make sure nobody had heard.

"You wound me love, you really do."

"Do you actually do anything here all day?" asked Meredith. "You just seem to follow me around all the time."

"Believe it or not I do have something to do today besides you," said James as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Piggy back surgery, I want a resident."

"Cristina is Cardio."

"Yang can come too," said James. "But I want to see if you're as good in practice as you were at Med school."

"Why?"

"Because I haven't seen you in action," said James obviously. "Professional curiosity."

"When?" sighed Meredith. It was an amazing surgery and would be great practice for her, not to mention it might shut James up for ten minutes.

"Four O'clock OR 6," said James. "By the way I have heard whisperings of 'McCreamy'…should I be worried?"

"No flattered, it means the staff think you look good enough to eat…like a cream cake," said Meredith.

"Really? And what do you think?"

"Cream makes me nauseas."

"Oh but Dreamy makes you giddy?"

"Who have you been talking to?" asked Meredith. How could James find out so much in two days.

"I'll never reveal my source."

"Izzie?"

"Yeah," James admitted. "Now I'm off to beat McDreamy within an inch of his life…I'll see you at four."

"See you," said Meredith going back to reading her chart.


	5. Chapter 5

**LAST CHAPTER **

"_Oh but Dreamy makes you giddy?"_

"_Who have you been talking to?" asked Meredith. How could James find out so much in two days._

"_I'll never reveal my source."_

"_Izzie?"_

"_Yeah," James admitted. "Now I'm off to beat McDreamy within an inch of his life…I'll see you at four."_

"_See you," said Meredith going back to reading her chart._

**Chapter 5**

"Grey!" Alex shouted to Meredith.

"What?" she shouted back. She was reading up on the piggy back surgery she was scrubbing in on with James later that day.

"You might want to come down and see this," said Alex looking down over the railing.

"Why? What's going on now? Who has syphilis? Who has Sloan been caught cheating on?" said Meredith dully.

"Houston is kicking Shepherd's ass," Alex shouted. "Oh and he is not taking it lying down. You might want to stop them _before_ they kill each other."

"What?" shouted Meredith running over to where Alex was standing. She looked down at the open plan and saw what everyone was looking at. Derek's nose was bleeding heavily as he threw an almighty punch that sent James flying over the nurses station. James was back on his feet in a flash and proceeded to grab Derek's throat.

"Stop it!" Meredith shouted as she ran down the stairs. She grabbed James' arm and pried it away from Derek's throat. "What the hell is this?"

"This guy…" James growled.

"James, get out," Meredith shouted as he released Derek. Derek just stood there rubbing his throat, looking ready to kill. If Meredith hadn't been standing in between the two of them he would have. "Go and wait in the locker room. I'll deal with you later!"

"I was just…"

"Save it! I don't care what your reasons were," Meredith snapped at him.

"Fine," said James.

"Come on," Meredith mumbled to Derek taking his hand. "Lets clean you up." Wordlessly Derek followed Meredith into an empty exam room and just watched as she gathered cotton and antiseptic to clean the gnash in his cheek and the cuts on his hand.

"Does he usually erupt like that?" Derek asked as Meredith sat in front of him.

"No," she said. "I'm sorry he did that to you."

"He's violent."

"He isn't," said Meredith seeing where Derek was going with this. "He has never even so much as raised his voice to me, let alone his hand."

"He's obviously capable of it though," said Derek.

"I've never seen him like that before," said Meredith. "What did you say to him?"

"You should go and check on your husband," said Derek taking the instruments out of her hand. "I'm fine."

"I am sorry," said Meredith gently gliding her hand over the cut on his face. "I'm sorry you got hurt. Your girlfriend is probably worried about you."

"Meredith," sighed Derek taking her hand. "I'm sorry _you_ got hurt."

"I didn't," said Meredith confused. Derek and James had stopped fighting when she had put herself in the middle of them.

"I meant with us, I'm sorry you got hurt."

"You mean you're sorry you hurt me," Meredith corrected him. "You did and I haven't forgiven you for it yet. You told me you wanted a lifetime with you and right when I knew that is what I wanted with you I find out about yet another woman as if Addison, Sydney and Lexie weren't enough!"

"Nothing happened with Sydney or Lexie!" said Derek forcefully.

"So? Nothing happened with James either," said Meredith.

"Oh please everyone is talking about you two," said Derek. "When he first came here in that exam room…"

"You mean when he took my hair out of my ponytail because he always liked my hair when it was down."

"The locker room."

"Alright he kissed me," said Meredith. "So?"

"And you spent the weekend with him!'

"Yeah we ordered room service, watched TV and we actually did do the crossword puzzle," said Meredith. "But I don't have to explain that to you anymore Derek. We're not together and we never will be again. So you need to get over this little fixation you have with my love life because it has nothing to do with you anymore!"

"When did you get divorced?"

"Did you just hear anything I said?"

"This is the last question I swear."

"The divorce was finalized two months before I met you," sighed Meredith. "We were only married for a few months."

"Why did you get divorced?" asked Derek. He knew he was pushing his luck now.

"I didn't love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him, I thought I did at first but we weren't a great couple. We had sex a lot because that was the only thing we were really that great at, we were friends that slept together not soul mates. We both sort of used my mother's illness as an excuse and we went our separate ways. Before you even ask how I feel for him now, I still love him as my best friend and someone that knows me inside out but will we ever give it another try, maybe."

"Even if you don't love him enough to be with him forever?"

"Do you love Rose enough to be with her forever?"

"No," said Derek.

"But you could one day? You didn't love me the first time you saw me, I was just the girl in a bar," said Meredith. "You grow to love someone enough for forever."

"How do you stop loving someone that you wanted to spent the rest of you life with? How do you stop loving, the love of your life?"

"You tell me," said Meredith getting up and walking to the door. "I sure as hell don't know."

**I know it's about time i updated this fic!! Well I did...clearly. I actually have a lot of new ideas for this story now, and I have some time off at the moment i should be able to update quickly if you all REVIEW and tell me what you think of this chapter and where you hope this story goes because I have ideas for three different endings.**


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